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Appearance: Scun has obvious Orc heritage, his mottled green skin
and yellow eyes make that abundantly clear to anyone who gazes upon him.
He is short and stout, but has very conspicuous muscles. Along with his
Mithral Chain Shirt which he seems to wear constantly, he has a large
backpack that bulges with unknown items. You see a whistle around his
neck on a string, along with another necklace of twine that hangs
underneath his armor. Most of his belongings seem to be well used and
somewhat old, and tend not to match with each other.

Background: Scun, as with so many other Half-Orcs, was the
product of an Orc raid on a Human village. His raped mother was a kind
soul, and kept him safe for the first few years of his life. As he grew
faster than the other children and was much stronger, she feared for
their safety in turn. She sent him to help her brother on his farm. The
brother used him for labor and made him eat and sleep with the dogs.
Scun ran away and traveled the roads, here he found out about Mongrel
from a wandering old man, who shared what he had in Scun's time of need.
Scun travelled with the man for a few years, helping him where he could
and learning of the world. When the old man died, Scun wandered
aimlessly for a time, but then found his own purpose in life and became
an adventurer.

Tall for his race, Rasereit Vundinn still seems a bit short among humans. His long red hair looks like it was braided once and then forgotten. Though it's not exactly treated with reverence, his hair is not ridiculously knotted, just a little wild. He bathes only when he feels like it, sometimes giving him an unpleasantly odoriferous presence. He has a fierce glint in his dark brown, almost black, eyes.

The breastplate he wears over his clothes has nary scratch on it, but its dull metal sheen makes it seem as though it is tired and old. The Vundinn clan emblem is etched on the chest. It looks to be made of the finest steel and the straps are attached in such a way as to facilitate his movement more easily than most armor of its type. Hanging around his neck is a small, carved wooden turtle on a leather lace. His gray woolen shirt is dirty, getting a wash only when he does, but durable. His hands are protected by gauntlets, both of excellent craftsmanship, each with a circular etching on the back depicting a dwarf lifting a mountain. Like the breastplate, the gauntlets have a dull look about them.

Two finely crafted axes with keenly sparkling edges hang from his hips, attached to his belt by leather loops holding the axe heads up. The blade of the waraxe has a slight red tint, and it seems to emit an aura of heat. On his back hangs a large, ornate, spiked steel shield, adorned with a helmeted dwarven head behind the vicious spikes, its eyes closed as though it were asleep.

Perhaps the strangest thing about the dwarf is his kilt. Woven into a red and gray plaid pattern, it is clearly very old but also very well kept. A few stitches are evident here and there, probably where an unavoidable dagger made its mark.

Rasereit's bare, hairy legs carry a large number of scars, as does his face. All over his body, reminders of old wounds are small and large and in between. Clearly, this dwarf has seen more than his share of conflict.

On his right palm is a magical tattoo of a white queen, from a chess set. The image is heretical to the mainline of Jareth, and Rasereit keeps it hidden beneath his gloves.

Personality:

Rasereit is often rowdy and boisterous, with very little concern for what others think. Depending on his mood, he might challenge a stranger to a no-rules bar fight or buy him a drink. He has been known to charge stupidly into very dangerous situations and barely escape with his life.

When on a team with other adventurers, he does his best to protect those he knows, usually by screaming and taking most of the punishment himself, though he probably won't take a bolt for anyone he just met. With other worshippers of Mongrel he is very open, his trust is easily won, and he will help any other wanderers of Mongrel immediately, without a thought of hesitation or self-interest.

He never steals from companions, contracted or otherwise, or the obvious poor, but anyone else is a potential victim. Sometimes, when he's feeling charitable, he will secretly give some of his wealth to the poor, leaving offerings of food or money on doorsteps. Of course, these gifts are almost always taken from some rich sap who "didn't need it anyway" or looted from a recent kill. Close friends, among whom number the halfling Ogrin, the human "noordlander" Pendrake, and the nameless priest of Mongrel, call him Razh.

He washes his kilt reverently every day that he can, in an uncharacteristically respectful tribute to his lost clan. In the evenings, he sleeps sitting up with his armor on and his shield propped up behind him. He is wary of magic, and he is very self-conscious of the magical tattoo on his right palm.

History:

The Vundinn clan is notable because they were among the only dwarven clans to wear the kilt. This tradition arose many generations ago when the women of the clan had to protect the village from a surprise attack while most of the men were out hunting. They grabbed their husbands' weapons and ran out into battle wearing their skirts. They single handedly beat back the entire enemy force. When the men returned, a great ceremony was held in the women's honor, and all the men wore skirts in homage to their valor. In that ceremony, the women received completely equal rights with the men. After the celebration night, a few of the men continued to wear the skirts, and the fashion spread quickly and held fast for the centuries it has been since that day.

Almost all of Rasereit's life has been wrought with conflict, making the battlefield a place where he feels at home. He was raised for the first 13 years of his life in a dwarven clanhold deep within the Underdark below the Northern Mountains, to the north of the Vastermarch cities. The Vundinn clan was waging war with an encroaching horde of dark, intelligent beasts. They lost all of their ancient stone houses and many of their clansmen to the foul monsters as they were forced upwards, towards the surface. Their second settlement was less defensible and did not have even a year of peace before the same creatures attacked. After two long years of conflict, that settlement was also destroyed and abandoned. Even more clansmen died defending the second settlement, and the monsters had no qualms about killing women and children. The dwarves who survived in the greatest numbers were the wild Vundinn warrior-barbarians, fierce combatants both honored and feared by the rest of the Vundinn clan. It was these dwarves who taught Rasereit to fight.

The Vundinn moved all the way up to a large cavern right below the surface. There they faced sporadic attacks from goblins and orcs who squatted in the nearby mountains, but they survived for another twenty one years before the monsters returned in full force. This time, an unusually intelligent orc used the threat of the monsters to unite the scattered goblinoid tribes. The combined forces of the goblinoids beat back the creatures of the depths before they reached the new Vundinn settlement. After a short respite, the orcs and goblins attacked the dwarves, determined to claim the dwarves' cavern for themselves. The Vundinn clan was almost shattered, but a few warrior-barbarians and Rasereit survived. The remnants managed to trek to the surface. There they survived for another two years under the minor oppression of goblinoids as they slowly migrated south of the mountain range. Finally, the Vundinn clan was completely disbanded when the last few clansmen simply gave up and walked their own separate ways.

Throughout all this strife, by chance and bad fortune, Razh had seven foster families plus his first, birth family. Most of them had no mothers. When the clan parted ways, he had nothing but the clothes on his back, the kilt on his hips, and the family axes at his sides. For the next three years, he made guerilla attacks on small goblin scout groups in revenge, but soon saw the futility of his efforts and stopped. He retreated south, to the town of Braeholl in the Vastermarch. The dwarven barbarian was not well received there, so he quickly moved to the forest in the south east, the Silverwood, where he lived in relative peace (despite several almost-violent run-ins with arrogant and territorial elves) and met his first real friend and trusty mount, Kerrin the horse. Eventually, he began traveling south. Periodically, he would stop by the tiny settlements in the countryside for miserable attempts at socializing, but he always returned to the wilderness.

On one of these visits, he met a very friendly and wise wandering Cleric of Mongrel. They traveled together until the next settlement, and on the journey, the cleric told his tales of adventuring and of the extreme satisfaction he received from serving his carefree god, Mongrel. Razh was converted immediately, and is now one of the most devout (if you can call a worshipper of Mongrel "devout") followers of Mongrel. The two friends parted and have never seen each other since, but Razh holds a soft spot in his adamantine heart for any follower of the Dog.

When he was 63, Rasereit's beloved equine companion, Kerrin, was at a river drinking water when a rogue goblin squadron killed the beast for meat. In a fit of fury, Rasereit slaughtered them all. He traveled on foot to the Red Dragon Inn...

First Post

The doors of the tavern slowly swing open as a very dirty, very smelly dwarf trudges slowly toward the bar. An old pack graces his hunched back, a belt with a few pouches is strapped diagonally across his broad chest, and his rusty scale mail clinks and screeches, quietly protesting his clumsy movements. The large axe at his hip is nearly touching the floor because of his posture. His eyes are blood shot, and he moves with the swinging gait of a dwarf who has spent too much time with a bottle in his hands. He tries to sit down and order a drink but, due to the constant haggering by the barmaids to speak to Joe, is unable to even get the words out. "In the name of Mongrel! Back off!" he grunts loudly in an oddly accented dialect. He scans behind the bar for the bartender they speak so animatedly of. Spotting the only man with an apron on, he raises his hand, nods towards him. "I... Er, hello... Joe... Look, can y' get me a drink over here?" Eyeing him distastefully, not because of his smell, mind you, but rather for his manners, Joe meanders his way over to the unclean mess deposited at the bar and slams down a full mug, saying, "That'll be a silver, if y' please." The dwarf eyes him beadily, but after some time reaches into his pocket for the money. After receiving it, Joe Smith moves on to other, more sociable patrons, while the dwarf lays his head down on the bar, not even taking a sip of his drink. Occasionally his body shakes or trembles for a very brief moment, then he looks about angrily to see if anybody noticed, lays his weary head back down, and repeats the process.

OOC: New character, new to PbP, but not new to the game. Nice to meet you all!

Private Details

Second father was a miner, killed in an unfortunate and rare cave-in.
Third father was a warrior-barbarian. Third mother was a little obese, or at the very least, "large around the belly"
Fourth father was a brewmaster, killed by foul monsters.
Fifth father was a weaponsmith, forged Razh's first handaxe, died at the age of 303 in "glorious battle".
Sixth father was an armorsmith, killed by monsters.
Seventh father was a warrior-barbarian, killed by orcs, bequeathed his family waraxe to Razh.

Rasereit had his old, family waraxe melted down and some of the metal was used by Stonebender the smith to make his new, magical dwarven waraxe. His old handaxe was held at the smith’s for a while, then melted down by Juliana's apprentice and mixed in with his new magical shield's metal.

Rasereit was age 63 in 2004.

Our Hero's Story Thus Far:

Razh was drinking away his sorrows and looking for distractions in the Red Dragon Inn when he and several others were offered a job by Mona, a halfling paladin. The group sailed to the Island of Varras'zul. After a brief foray into the underground, Razh and all members of the party returned to Orussus, a few gold pieces richer and with an acute fear of invincible centipedes. Mona got the book she wanted, so she sailed off to help her friends. Her ship turned up later, abandoned and empty.

Razh, his newfound halfling friend Ogrin, and some others assisted a man in avenging his sister. After a vicious battle with a lycanthrope, the culprits were quickly caught and brought to justice, but the adventurers gained the enmity of the Conclave, a secretive criminal organization, in the process.

Rasereit returned to the Red Dragon Inn and consumed a lot of alcohol over the course of a few days. He and Ogrin were then hired to join a group of experienced adventurers in dealing with a notorious noble, the Viscount Causticus. Another nauseating sailing experience brought Razh and company to another underground lair. This one was infested with gnolls led by Willem Frump, a man impersonating the goblin god KaziKazi. The brave wizard Ashnar died in the battle with Frump, but the false god was defeated. With Ashnar resurrected and Frump to guide them, the group traveled a long way through an underground tunnel only to emerge in the middle of an ambush by none other than the Viscount himself, assisted by his black dragon mother. Stripped bare and imprisoned, the party made their way through the dragon's dungeon beneath a volcano, where Razh wrestled a crocodile. Upon escape, the group stole some goblin equipment and attacked Causticus on his ship as he was making his way off of the island. He was defeated, and as Gundar's wrath poured from the volcano, the party sailed away in victory.

Back in Orussus, Razh used his wages to purchase some fine new equipment and enchant his dwarven waraxe and breastplate armor. Now somewhat of a pair of veterans, Razh and Ogrin were hired by another group to assist them in finding and freeing a kidnapped princess. The trail was getting cold, but as soon as Razh and Ogrin joined up, it quickly got very hot. After a fruitless horseback chase through the city, Ogrin dove headfirst into an ambush of five well-prepared men. He was quickly knocked unconscious, and Rasereit was forced to use all of his rage and skill to defeat the room full of foes and save his friend. Both halfling and dwarf almost died, but Fate had other plans. The town guards arrived in time to finish one of the two men that Razh had left, and Lasair used her psychic abilities to subdue the last man and force him to disclose the details of the princess' abduction. A large feast, five letters of commendation, and 40,000 gold pieces later, Razh and the others now have the gratitude of a baron and one of the most beautiful women in the land.

After enjoying their payment on Merchant's Avenue in Orussus, Rasereit decided it was time to head north. Ogrin decided to tag along, and so did a young man named Nodis and another halfling, Talbin. The four traveled on a ship to the Vastermarch, with plans to eventually head up into the mountains, to Rasereit's homeland. But as they rested at in an inn in a Vastermarch village, the village was attacked by a raiding party of orcs. The adventurers dispatched the raiding party and gathered what villagers they could to head for Braeholl. On the way, the group ran into another gang of adventurers, and unfortunately, a large contingent of an orcish army. After defeating several ogres, dozens of orcs, a half-orc sorcerer, and even a few undead, the union of parties arrived at Braeholl, the besieged 'bastion' of the Vastermarch Cities.

There the united group discovered the details behind the war in the Vastermarch. An accursed artifact, the Scythe of Seto, was the root cause of the conflict, corrupting all who came into contact with it, including a great paladin. After speaking with a knowledgable halfling, the adventurers agreed to take it to an ancient temple dedicated to Jareth, where a portal to oblivion was rumored to exist. The temple was protected by powerful magic, and in order to gain access our heroes were forced to engage in several life-or-death games. Rasereit took a leading role in an oversized chess game, toppling half the pieces on the board with his combat prowess. Afterwards, the group was separated, and he had to battle a crazed, evil mirror of himself. Twice.

In time, they reached the chasm. After a brief encounter with the corrupted paladin and two others under the spell of the Scythe, the cursed thing was destroyed, along with the Mirror of Opposition which produced Rasereit's evil twin. Feeling good about his success so far, Rasereit decided to take advantage of Jareth's games and played an imp in a dangerous game of chance. Drawing no less than five cards from a magical deck, Rasereit lost and gained much, material and otherwise.

Tracking:

Experience:

1100 XP from 6 RL months, The Island of Varras'zul150 XP from Python, The Island of Varras'zul100 XP from Spider Swarm, The Island of Varras'zul50 XP from Quicksand, The Island of Varras'zul200 XP from Water elementals, The Island of Varras'zul150 XP from Golgol, the earth Mephit, The Island of Varras'zul150 XP from Xorn, The Island of Varras'zul200 XP from Centipedes, The Island of Varras'zul100 XP from Caged Remnant, The Island of Varras'zul150 XP from Trap, The Island of Varras'zul150 XP from Centipede Swarm, The Island of Varras'zul200 XP from Guardian Spider, The Island of Varras'zul75 XP from Cursed Book, The Island of Varras'zul40 XP, ad hoc, The Island of Varras'zul

Subtotal from The Island of Varras'zul: 2815 XP

320 XP from Rats, Bats, and Wererats, LPNN325 XP from time spent, LPNN925 XP from Tryggvi, Kopasker, assassin vines, and 2.5 months of real time, LPNN

Subtotal from LPNN: 1570 XP

471 XP from 10 gnolls after salt chute, M4: Under the Volcano
150 XP from piercers, M4: Under the Volcano
694 XP from 5 gnolls and 4 hyenadons, M4: Under the Volcano
75 XP from White Goo (before resting) M4: Under the Volcano
150 XP from Time spent on adventure, M4: Under the Volcano1114 XP from more goo, KaziKazi and co., etc., M4: Under the Volcano600 XP from Time spent on adventure, M4: Under the Volcano2235 XP from escaping a volcanic island with only goblin weapons, M4: Under the Volcano

Subtotal from M4: Under the Volcano: 5489 XP

2200 XP from bravely battling five armed men at the same time, wounding all of them, and personally dispatching three, Niobe's Dilemma300 XP from time spent and misc., Niobe's Dilemma

Subtotal from Niobe's Dilemma: 2500 XP

2050 XP from wiping out an orcish raiding party, personally dispatching 6 warriors, 2 leaders, and a minotaur, and assisting others in taking out the rest S2: War in Vastermarch2300 XP from wiping out an orcish siege party, personally dispatching 3 ogres and several orcs, S2: War in the Vastermarch175 XP for miscellaneous goodness, S2: War in the Vastermarch

Subtotal from S2: War in the Vastermarch: 4525 XP

900 XP from a group of undead, S3: The Scythe of Seto1380 XP from a gargantuan spider and her brood, S3: The Scythe of Seto1620 XP from slaughtering a nighthag and her demon puppy, S3: The Scythe of Seto2550 XP from real-time spent, S3: The Scythe of Seto500 XP from strategizing in a most dangerous game of chess, S3: The Scythe of Seto7500 XP from fighting, individually, a wounded minotaur knight, 3 gnoll skeleton pawns, a gargoyle bishop, the other minotaur knight, a scorpion rook, the wounded King (chain devil), and a twisted mirror Razh twin, S3: The Scythe of Seto1000 XP from finishing the final fight with Lothar the Lecher, Sangster the Scoundrel, and Torvin the werewolf, S3: The Scythe of Seto1000 XP from aiding in the destruction of the cursed artifact, the Scythe of Seto, S3: The Scythe of Seto

Jareth's DeckJack of Diamonds:Dwarf Paragon abilities
Craft Expertise (Ex): Razereit may add +2 as a racial bonus on all Craft checks related to stone or metal items.
Improved Stonecunning (Ex): Razh's racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework increases to +4. The range at which he receives an automatic Search check for coming near an example of unusual stonework increases to 20 feet. Also, he can intuit where true north lies in relation to himself (as if he had 5 ranks in Survival) whenever underground.
Improved Darkvision (Ex): Razh's darkvision range increases by 30 feet.
Save Bonus (Ex): Razh's racial bonus on saves against poison and against spells and spell-like effects increases by 1. (to +3)
Ability Boost (Ex): Razh gets a CON boost of +1.(These DO NOT stack with the dwarven paragon abilites should Razh ever take levels in that class. Essentially he has already gained these abilities.)Jack of Clubs: -2 WIS.King of Hearts: True Seeing for 1 min 1x/day.

Appearance: Somac is well-proportioned and lean. His finely crafted studded leather armor covers an athletic
body toned by a harsh outdoor life. His green eyes and blonde hair complete a wild countenance.

Background: Somac was the favored nephew of his clan’s chieftain who spent most of his free
time teaching Somac to fight and live the life of the clan. The chieftain’s son felt neglected, and burned
with jealousy. When Somac came of age, the chieftain’s son began to worry that the hereditary post of
chieftain might very well be passed to Somac. However, he knew he was no match for Somac in open
combat, and so contrived to have him banished on a trumped up charge of plotting to usurp the
leadership of the clan. While maintaining his innocence, Somac agreed to leave the clan forever in
order to preserve the peace. Somac is now searching to find his place in the larger world.

Story: Shortly after arriving at the Red Dragon Inn for the first time, Somac met a group of new
friends and traveled with them to the city of Monemvassia. From there, they set out to capture a crook
by the name of Jezibel, and to harass a goblin threat. Many goblins were killed in a moathouse, and
many more were chased to a beach by the sea. There, Somac and his friends were able to capture
Jezibel. However, they were almost immediately routed by a large group of fishmen, accompanied by
an incredibly large abhorrent beast from the depths. In the chaos of battle, Jezibel escaped. Sadly, a
carefree halfling member of the party was also lost.http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=101761

Appearance: Gurm Ironforge is a small muscular dwarf.Gurm wears a purple overcoat over his armor, if he's currently wearing any.His pants are tight and dark blue, but loose enough so that they don't hamper his movement.He also wears huge black boots that clack as he walks.Finally, he also wears a pair of goggles over his forehead and has a gold ring pierced through his ear.

Background: Gurm Ironforge has always been a strange dwarf.His loud nature and love for the sea mark him as eccentric amongst his people.Gurm has always dreamed of the sea, his greatest dream being to become a pirate and sail the seas searching for treasure.What he doesn't know is that most pirates are cutthroats and purse snatchers.As for where he came from, he was born to the Ironforge clan in an indescript part of the world.He left his clan because he wanted to prove to himself and to his clan that dwarves aren't restricted to living with or in stone.

This is my first time playing D&D and my first time rolling up a character, so if I've made any glaring mistakes, please do tell ^^;;

The Water Dragon is a fine quality keelboat, 40ft long and 10ft wide. It has six oars and a single broad, rectangular sail. Its flat bottom allow it to be sailed upriver, and it is stable enough for sea journeys. Inscribed on the bow is its name, "The Water Dragon", and a wooden figurehead carved like a black dragon adorns is mounted below prow. Near the aft is the rudder and a small stove for cooking food.

A large hatch in front of the mast leads to the cargo hold which takes about 15 tons, and a smaller hatch near the aft leads to the crew quarters. There is small captain's cabin built into the aft of the crew quarters, which holds a small-sized bed above a desk, and an iron bound chest with a large padlock. The captain has the key to the cabin and the padlock at all times. The crew quarters contain hammocks for six people and two black chests holding the sailors belongings. More people can sleep on the deck or in the cargo hold if they aren't entirely used for goods.

The Water Dragon was previously owned by the Viscount Claudius Causticus. Ogrin was part of the party which ended the life of this traitor on the deck of this boat. At the end of that endeavour, Ogrin claimed the ship as his part of the treasure.

The ship is sized so it can be sailed by small-sized people - most of the previous sailors were goblins. Since it is smaller but better built than the average keelboat, it makes about 2 miles per hour, or 16 miles per 8 hour period, or 48 miles per day.

Since Ogrin is still learning to be a sailor, he has hired a seasoned keelboat sailor (Wick, halfling Exp3) to captain the ship. He also has three seasoned sailors which typically stay with the ship on all journeys (Exp1, strength 14+). As needed, extra hands is taken on (typically Com1, strength 14+)

PUBLIC: As long as the ship isn't sunk or otherwise broken, any DM can use the boat in his adventure, for example to ferry adventurers to and fro any locations on and off the coast (or even cities on navigable rivers). Just make sure that it isn't used in some other endeavour at the time. Standard fares apply (these are assumed to go into normal upkeep of the ship, all finances are handled by captain Wick)

Other goods aboard the water dragon
About a weeks food and water for seven persons (in addition to any planned trip)
Six small-sized scimitars
Two small-sized short swords
One small-sized long sword
Four small-sized short bows and probably around a hundred arrows

Appearance: Ogrin is a strongly built halfling, and it shows on his frame. Due to his line of work, he prefers dark colours, often a dark red tunic and black-brown trousers. He faces the world with a constant half-smile on his face. Few people know it, but he has a skull tattooed on the inside of his upper left arm, its purpose is unknown. Another tattoo, this if a white knight chess piece, adorns his right palm. This tattoo is a blessing from a heretical cult of Jareth, and grants him certain abilities.

Background: (Public, except where noted) Known as something of a thug in his community, Ogrin crossed the wrong man when he tried to rob a powerful enchanter. The wizard cast some kind of charm spell, rendering Ogrin his slave for many months. During a visit to a mages guild, Ogrin accidentally entered an Antimagic zone and was released from the spell. Ogrin played along, and soon after found his opportunity: he killed the wizard (private: [SPOILER]in his sleep[/SPOILER]) and fled with his most valuable possessions, most of which he sold or used up in the months after. He fears some of the wizards friends from the guild will come after him some day. The biggest threat is the wizards former apprentice (Sinoithan, half-elf wizX [Enchanter]) who has threatened Ogrin once before.

Ogrin is slightly near-sighted, which may explain his lousy spot checks.

Recent exploits
When his funds were growing low, he was recruited by Mona Ellenrowe of the Wooden Sword, to go on an expedition to The Island of Varras'zul. They were to search some ruins, to find a cure that would help Mona save her fellow knights and the town of Raven's Bridge from a disease. When they returned, it turned out that the real Mona was dead since a year back, and the ship she was travelling on was found drifting just a day or so after the adventurers was left off. Ogrin had tried to charm "Mona" but was turned down, and the whole event turned him to the bottle for some time.

He finally sobered up after a lad named Hallidor requested some help to find out what happened to his deceased sister. It turned out she was murdered with a mixture of poison and a love potion. Deceit and wickedness was thwarted, as the responsible (A man named Tryggvi, supposedly of an old mob organisation known as the Conclave) was brought before the law. He escaped before his execution, and remains at large. Ogrin had preferred to string him up in a tree when he was captured, and let him hang there until the crows pecked his eyes out.

Ogrin and his now ever-present friend Razh then took it upon them to aid Rinaldo an his friends to rid the world of an assassin, the Viscount Causticus. Fighting gnolls, they finally braved the might of Kazikazi, the goblin god - who turned out to be nothing but a cowardly illusionist named Willem Frump. Frump pretended to work with the party, but secretly betrayed them through a sending spell. Caught by the assassin and his mother, a black dragon, the party was thrown into a catacomb Under the Volcano which was filled with deadly monsters. That's where they met Hogarth, a priest of Gundar. They escaped by swimming, and found the blood of Gundar had begun to spill from the volcano. They managed to catch up with the Viscount just as his ship were to set sail, and managed to finish him off. Ogrin took the ship as part of his spoils.

After returning to Orussus, Ogrin spent some time in the Red Dragon after hearing of a caravan that took him (and Razh) to Earling. That's where they met Wil, Lasair, Troi and Jaan who were involved in finding out whoever had kidnapped the Niobe, the spouse of the prince. Ogrin and Razh had run into the person, and joined them on their search. Some clues led them to an inn where gladiators tended to gather, where Troi and Jaan saw the kidnapper make a hasty getaway, following them. The others investigated the inn, were ambushed, and fought an intense battle. One of their foes yielded and was persuaded to give an account on what had happened. Niobe was found there, to everyones relief.

After a well-deserved rest, Ogrin and Razh learnt of trouble, even War, in Vastermarch. Talbin and Nodis tagged along on the Water Dragon as it made its way north. Heading inland by horse, their inn was assulted one night and they retreated to a fort, which was also overrun. After clearing it out, the party decided to escort the remaining villagers to a nearby town. On the way they met up with Juliana, Brother Eusebius, Beamer and Banion. Just after this, they were assaulted by the orc main force, led by Tharok, a half-orc wizard. They defeated the orc army and took Tharok captive. He was later executed.

As ever hungry for adventure, Ogrin and Razh agreed to accompany Brother Eusebius on his quest to destroy the Scythe. After defeating a chessboard and being separated from the rest fo the party for some time, Ogrin found himself a bit late to the party as Lothar, Sangster and the fallen Paladin-turned-wererat Torvin were all but beaten when he rejoined his companions. The scythe was chucked into the lava and Ogrin gained a new tattoo and some new powers. However, since his new tattoo is heretical to the mainstream church of Jareth (which he learnt the hard way after meeting a wandering Jareth cleric, henceforth called "Martel One-eye"), he's taken to wearing leather gloves.

Description: Ironwolf is a short, wiry man with shoulder length black hair. He is of a calm and thoughtful demeanor. A large curved blade is strapped to his back, an unusual weapon for a man only 5' tall, even with broad shoulders and a muscular frame. He weighs 160 lbs.

Description: Tor has coppery skin and flaming red hair, with eyes that swirl in varying hues of yellow and red. While he seems to be more or less human, it's clear to even a casual observer that something unusual must be hiding in the branches of his familly tree, and not too many branches up. He is 6 feet tall, 185 lbs, and is quick to laugh and smile. Those who have not seen hm in battle would be hard pressed to guess at the rage he can call forth. A tattoo on his back of a copper dragon occasionally seems to move, though this is almost certainly a trick of the light.

Familly History: Tor's father, Ariathus, is the adopted son of the Copper Dragon Terrimandinosus. Terrimandinosus infused Ariathus with some of his essence, turning Ariathus in a half-dragon. While Tor has inherited some tendencies in that direction, he is no half dragon yet...

Appearance:
Herlhest Colfax is a tall, wiry young man dressed in explorer's clothing. His sun-streaked brown hair is kept short, although it tends toward unrulyness and pokes out over his ears and from under the wide-brimmed hat he wears. His skin is the kind of deep tan that comes from growing up outdoors. He has clear, green eyes which reflect an observant nature. His clothing and armor are undyed, and vary from the pale yellow of his linen shirt to the deep browns of his leather armor, breeches, and boots. A simple brown belt holds a fringed pouch, sling, and bullet bag on his right, and a sturdier buckled hard leather pouch on his left. Beneath a modest but well secured backpack, with visible bedroll and coil of light rope, twin sickles are secured against his lower back, handles peeking out to either side level with his belt. Over all of this is a sturdy, hoodless cloak of oiled canvas. A wide-brimmed circular leather hat is perched on the back of his head in all but the most severe weather, exposing his open, friendly face to the sun and potential friends. Around his shoulders hangs a garland of holly and mistletoe, marking him as the druid he is. With him is a male wolf-mutt named Bohru, his prominent gray and white markings accented by brown "socks" and ears. Bohru appears recently full grown, as he still displays a puppy-like bounce in his step.

Background:
Leshreth Colfax was a guide and caravanner by trade. In the growing seasons, he would guide for hunters and, in times of war, armies. During the harvest, he guided trade caravans seemingly from Fire to Water and back again. Rarely did anyone want to go Windward, but he would take their employ like any other. Just as he was accepting the fact that his vocation would prevent him from ever having a family, he met Mirilee, a merchant's daughter. Leshreth worked hard to win her, and harder to win her father's approval. For the changing of six seasons, he worked excusively for Mirilee's father, and for very little pay. At the end, he was able to show good profit for the merchant, and reveal that he had been practical in saving his meager pay, having enough of his own money to set house. Mirirlee's father agreed to the marriage, and that's when Mirilee pulled Leshreth aside and told him that under no circumstances would she sit alone in a stead, raising their children while he traveled. Either he would take up a trade that allowed him to be home, or she would travel with him. There would be no compromise. Mirilee's father exploded when told, ranting that no daughter of his would live a life on the road, and without the security of Leshreth's vocation, the wedding was off.

Leshreth was crushed. Mirilee pleaded with her father to re-consider, but he was steadfast. For the whole of the seasons of growing, the two were apart while Leshreth worked, and Mirilee struggled to maintain their bethrothal. By the harvest, Leshreth was desperate for the woman he loved. Gambling that she would choose him over her father, he spent the money set aside for their house on a covered wagon and oxen to pull it. Should she agree, it would be their home. She readily agreed, but of course her father was adamant. So, in the night, they met outside the gates to her town, and began a life without the benefit of marriage. A life they have continued until this day. The next year, on safari with a large party of hunters, Mirilee went into labor, and their firstborn, Herlhest, was born. His cries were hale, and no game was had that day, nor any day for the rest of the trip. The hunter's weren't cross, rather they looked at the birth as a good sign for the coming year. Life begats life, they said, the circle spins. The safari turned into a birthing celebration. Herlhest spent his first days among good humored men, loving women, the scent of a campfire, and the verdant green of spring.

Their first years after Herlhest was born were harder than most. Many weren't willing to take on a guide that had a young child and mother with him, but Mirilee's head for business kept them afoat, and they survived. The youngster quickly grew into a strong, friendly boy. Throughout his life, Herlhest relished in meeting new people and seeing new places. He always made friends among Leshreth's charges, regardless of age, and he showed great interest in the animals and plants they would encounter. He enjoyed all the seasons save winter, in which they didn't travel, but he didn't really dislike it, either. When he was five, he took to guiding and tending the oxen without being asked. By the time his sister, Treleslee, was born two years later, all the animals were in the care of Herlhest. He was able to skillfully guide them in whatever direction Leshreth wished, and they rarely became agitated or stubborn under his hand. So the years passed. The twins Reshelth and Rimilee were born, a boy and girl, when Herlhest was nine. His family entered another difficult time as the twins passed through infancy into childhood, but they weathered it like any other. By the time Herlhest was 15, Leshreth and his family had a certain amount of fame, mostly due to the oddity of a whole family traveling with what is usually a solitary vocation. Leshreth was deserved of his reputation as an excellent and trustworthy guide, however, and during this time he began to attract apprentices. Mirilee took it as another opportunity, and suggested that the now aging Leshreth retire, and start a school for guides. Her ideas had always bore fruit, and Leshreth took the opportunity to finally settle down with his family. Instilling his firstborn son as his prize student, he took on as many others as he could handle. Herlhest hated it. He wanted to travel, wanted to continually see new things and meet new people, wanted to maintain the numerous friendships he had cultivated among the travelling folk, and most of all, wanted the company of good humored men, loving women, the smell of a campfire in his nostrils, and the verdant green all around.

To say that his adolescent years involved rebellion against his father would be harsh, and overly dramatic. Yet he resisted parts of his training, taking to some lessons, and seeming to ignore others. Herlhest wasn't happy, and it showed. Again, it was Mirilee who cut through Leshreth's frustration, suggesting that maybe Herhest's path wasn't exactly his father's, but one that ran close. Leshreth made an agreement with the boy, one in which Herlhest was expected to work hard, but at those lessons he chose. It quickly became evident that Herlhest wasn't at all interested in hunting and guiding as a profession, but he devoured all his lessons on the natural cycle, and confirmed his mother's notion when he showed a talent for natural magic. Thus it was that Herlhest Colfax became a student of Verdante, and a druid. He stayed past the age of manhood for two full turnings of seasons, as the family had an unexpected addition: his youngest brother, Leshreth the junior. The birth had been difficult, and his mother was long in recovering, and it was feared she would not make it. Leshreth the junior was as hale as his oldest brother had been, however, and all returned to normal by the time the boy was speaking words. With normalcy came the old desire, and in the spring of his twentieth year Herlhest finally bid his family goodbye, promising to winter there in the years he was close enough. The school was doing well, very well, and it had expanded to include actual service. Colfax's Guides were becoming known as competent and honest. His siblings, young enough to have adapted to the townie life the school made necessary, were community folk. Indeed, Treleslee was nearly 14 turnings of seasons, and already had a few suitors. She had always hated leaving the wintering places and was happily contemplating life as a town wife. Herlhest alone couldn't let the road go, not yet, but felt that in time he would feel as his father did, and settle down. But that's a long way off, and the thought brought a smile to his face as he left the town limits, his quarterstaff thumping the ground in time with his feet.

The spring after his departure he heard pained yelps coming from off the trail. Investigating, he found a half-starved she-wolf in hard labor. For some reason, her pack had abandoned her, and it was doubtful that she or her litter would survive. He spent the balance of the day with her, as well as most of the night. By the time all seven of her litter were born, she had passed, and all but one were stillborn. As he cleaned the pup, it quickly became evident why her pack had left. She had mated with a dog, likely feral, and the pack had cast her out once the unfamiliar scent was on her. He saw signs that the father had stayed for a while, but he hadn't been around for the last few weeks. It was unusual behavior from a wolf, but feral dogs were unpredictable. This one had either run off, or had befallen some other fate. Herlhest left the mother and stillborn litter to nature, and took the pup, naming him Bohru, mainly because he liked the sound of it. He wasn't sure if it was actually a word. After holing up to take care of the pup for a few weeks, they hit the trail again, ever towards the unknown.

Since leaving home, Herlhest hasn't been close enough to winter there, although he probably could if he really tried. He is content sending them a few letters a year to let them know he's well and alive, and has so far taken up his habit of wintering in a new place each year. Bohru has grown into more wolf than dog, and is his constant companion, even if sometimes as unruly as his feral father surely was. Lately, Herlhest has realized that he hasn't been paying equal attention to all of Verdante's places, namely the cities. Brimming with life new to Herlhest, he has sought them out to learn what he may.

Public and Private:
Only these things are Public:

Colfax's Guides
Run by Leshreth Colfax (ranger) and his consort, Mirilee (expert/ranger), this service provides guides for hire. All of the guides are guaranteed trained by Leshreth himself, and are screened for good character. Guides can be contacted through most merchant's guilds or less commonly, through inns and taverns that support adventurers. The location of the school is a secret, and finding it is the admission test. Colfax figures that since his first students tracked him down, they can all do it. Because of this, Colfax's guides are notoriously tight-lipped about the school's location. It's a point of pride.

The Annual Letter - Adventure Seed
Leshreth Colfax has wanted to marry Mirilee for over twenty years. Being a man of no stable home due to his vocation, her father forbade the marriage. They effectively eloped, but she refused to marry him until her father changed his mind. She bore Leshreth children, and still she refused. Although heirs can be lawfully conceived by consorts, he treats her as his wife and very much wants it so. She will not take his name, nor will she identify herself as anything but his consort, although she has dropped her family name and reciprocates his treatment. Many do not know they aren't married until formally introduced. Eight years ago Leshreth and Mirilee finally left life on the road to found Colfax's Guides (see above), and Leshreth wrote a letter to Mirilee's father, saying that Leshreth had founded a steady home and the vocation to secure it. He asked again for Mirilee's hand in marriage. It went unanswered. Every year since, he has sent some of his guides to deliver a similar letter, always detailing his ability to provide, always asking the same question. It has always gone unanswered. This year, when the time came to deliver the letter, all of Colfax's guides were on paying jobs. Colfax has asked a group of adventurers (through a third party) to deliver the letter and await a response. He offers to pay handsomely and to grant them a seat of honor at the wedding, should the answer finally be yes. The third party tells the adventurers that Colfax is getting on in years, and may not have many letters left. This third party, a longtime associate and friend to Colfax, offers to pay a bonus if the adventurers can at least find out why no answers have been coming back.

Appearance: Xariom is clad mostly in black. He has a longsword and a dagger sheathed to his belt, and a wooden shield is strapped on his back. He looks youngish (for an elf) and wears his long (mid-back), black hair in a ponytail. He usually also has a slightly worn, black travel cloak hanging from his shoulders. He almost always carries his glaive with him.

Appearance: Gorefoot stands just over three and a half feet tall. He couldn't grow a beard if his life depended on it, which is good, because personal grooming is not amoung his short list of habits. Surprisingly thick and muscular for a gnome, his small stature holds an unnatural strength. His body is a roadmap of scars. He has a single tattoo, his entire left foot from the ankle down is a deep red, and he likes to show it off by wearing sandals. A large, deep scar extends from his left temple, over his eye, and over part of his nose. His left eye has a yellowish film over it, and his right eye burns with a mad intensity. The crazed gleam in his eye is often the last thing his foes see.

Background: Gorefoot was born Fondar Bunkfoodle, in the Gnome community of GemHold. From an early age, he showed an aptitude for all things physical, but couldn't seem to grasp even the most simple cantrips that many gnomes are capable of. He would become quickly frustrated with his inability, and more than one innocent object bore the brunt of his anger. He spent a great deal of his time chopping firewood, hauling heavy loads around, and generally doing all the menial tasks that most of the community avoided. He was good at doing these things, and he found a simple joy in it. As he grew, so did his physical prowess, and the hold was quick to play to his strengths by encouraging him to begin training to join the hold guard when he came of age. He was excited at the prospect of being a more useful member of the community, and set about his training with a youthful zeal. And while it is true that he had difficulty grasping the finer points of combat, he more than made up for it with natural talent and brute force.

GemHold was known for the fine quality of the sapphires it produced, and it's modest mine allowed for a decent supply. GemHold sits on, and in, a small mesa with steep cliff sides topped by a plateau about 5 acres in size. The hold itself is a network of caves and tunnels inside the mesa, and small farms on the plateau above provide enough food for the community. The GemHold mine occupies a fairly sizeable chunk of the northwest area of the mesa. The hold had occaisional trouble with bandits, and the "Kazikazi's Fangs", a neighboring tribe of war-like goblins, was a constant, if minor, threat. The fact that GemHold was a natural fortress meant that it was safe from all but the most determined attack. The wealth of GemHold was greatly coveted by the goblin tribe's warlord, and the goblins would probe GemHold's defenses every few months, looking for a weakness and always finding none. Every third year, in the spring, a nomadic barbarian group would set up camp in the area. They would hunt and engage in limited trade with GemHold until the first frost brought the distinctive chill of winter, and then move camp to the south. The goblin tribe would cease their attacks on GemHold in favor of raiding the nomad camp during this time.

All that changed however, the year the goblin warlord aquired the services of a dark-robed stranger. In the spring of that year, the nomadic group set up camp not far from GemHold, and the goblins shifted their focus as usual, thought their attacks were more sporadic. Summer passed slowly. Gorefoot was doing well with his training, and while he was a capable warrior, he did not grasp the concepts of skill and finesse. His lack of understanding earned him more than one scar from a quick instructor. He was excited, however, for this winter was the winter he would be allowed to join one of the outer ring guard patrols. They were the first line of defense, and the most likely to actually engage the goblins.

One night, as winter began to make it's presence known, Gorefoot awoke to the sound of the hold alarm announcing the presence of enemies within the hold. He lept to his feet and, gathering his gear and several of the other guardsmen, burst out of the guard quarters just as chaos erupted in GemHold. Goblins were everywhere. With a keening warcry the ferocious goblins fell upon those citizens that they hadn't killed in their sleep or drug away for darker purposes. Gorefoot and the guards immediately waded into the melee. Even though they were outnumbered, the gnomes inflicted terrible casualties in the defense of their home, and after what seemed like an eternity the goblins sounded a retreat and poured out towards one of the ground level entrances. After the battle the few survivors gathered together to assess the damage. Nearly two-thirds of the populace was dead or missing, with Gorefoot's parents amoung the missing. It was quickly decided that a rescue party must be put together to see if they could help those taken captive. In the end, it was decided that a small group of warriors would go, as the rest would be needed to defend GemHold in case of another attack. Gorefoot was allowed to join the group, and a runner was sent to ask the nomads for assistance in the rescue. The rescue party prepared to set out that morning, hoping that the nomads would help them. As they worked their way through the twisting tunnels and caverns to the exit, Gorefoot saw movement out of the corner of his eye. When he charged over to investigate, he found only stone walls and shadow. The rest of the party, after a thorough search, chalked it up to pre-fight jitters and told Gorefoot that he needed to keep focused on their mission. He agreed, and they continued on. But he could swear that, just for a moment, he had seen a dark-robed figure in the shadows.

The goblin warrens were a series of crudely dug caves and tunnels beneath a small hilly area about two miles north of GemHold. The small rescue party easily dispatched the sentries, and quietly entered the lair. There were surprisingly few goblins in the tunnels, and the rescue party was just starting to feel confident about their task when they came upon the entrance to a large cave. From their position in the shadows, they looked out onto a room ringed with goblins, about 20 in all. Against the back wall was a raised dais with a crude throne on it. Two large wolves sat chained to either side of it, gnawing absently on some old bones. The goblin warlord sat upon the throne, clearly irritated. His angry gaze was leveled on another goblin over by the far wall. This goblin was dressed in a ridiculously garish outfit, complete with a patchwork pointy hat, who was screaming nearly incoherently at the corpse of a gnome. "RISE! I COMMAND YOU! KARASHMA LAK TUMULUK!", he screamed before finally dropping to his knees in exhaustion. The warlord watched him for a moment before speaking, "Why do I not have a tireless servant? You assured me that you could do this Groshni. I hope for your sake that you were not lying to me." As he said the last, the wolves let out a pair of low growls. Groshni cringed when the warlord spoke, and he replied, "I would never lie to you your magnificence, it will just take me more time. I'll need another prisoner. I WILL make this work." The warlord narrowed his eyes, "See to it that you do, or I will have to settle for you working the mines after HE takes them for us today." He made a motion of his hand and two goblins left the cave behind a curtained doorway on the far wall. They were gone only a short time before they came back with a manacled gnome, Gorefoot's mother.

Gorefoot's vision turned to a solid field of red. He could hear screaming, and a goblin face appeared amidst the red, only to fall by the wayside. Then an image of one of the rescue party being torn apart by the two wolves. His vision started coming in flashes riding a red wave. First he was pulling his sword out of Groshni, and then he watched as the warlord drew a dagger across his mother's throat. The wave washed over his vision again, and then was replaced by the image of his mother falling lifelessly to the ground. With his next flash of vision came pain. He was laying on his back with his hand over his left eye, looking up at the warlords bloody sword. The warlord turned quickly to look at something outside Gorefoot's vision, and then retreated through a hidden door behind his throne. And then Gorefoot slipped into unconciousness.

Gorefoot awoke a week later to a large human woman tending to gash on his face. She told him that the first frost had come, and that he had been traveling with the nomads. He was later told that the nomads had arrived, but too late. Gorefoot was one of two gnomish survivors from the goblin lair, but the other had died from his injuries. The goblin warlord had escaped during the melee. When the nomads went to take him back to GemHold, they were surprised to find it overrun and well defended by goblins. Gorefoot was given the option of traveling with the tribe and he took it. The nomads gave him the nickname "Gorefoot" because of how he was found in the goblin cave. Somehow during the fight his left boot went missing, and his foot was caked with goblin blood. He took the name as his own, and, as part of a later adoption ceremony, had his entire left foot from the ankle down tattooed red.

Gorefoot lived with the nomads for a while, learning to better control the rage he had experienced. However, his lust for vengence eventually drove him to seek out the goblin warlord and find a way to retake GemHold. He adventures now to gain the skill and strength he will need, and hopefully find a few allies.

Public and Private: Only the following things are public.

The "Kazikazi's Fangs" Goblin Tribe

This tribe of goblins worships the deity, "Kazikazi" (deity pending approval). They are quite aggressive and warlike. Until recently, their population was kept in check by their constant attacks on GemHold.

GemHold

The now goblin-occupied GemHold is available for use in character backgrounds or upcoming adventures, etc. I've intentionally left it's location vague so that it may be placed where ever it fits best in Living EnWorld. The mysterious dark-robed figure and the goblin tribe await...

Gorefoot was killed by a scythe critical from the (Elder?) Redcap. A scroll of reincarnation was found as part of the treasure, and the party asked Fasroth to use it to bring Gorefoot back to life. Gorefoot came back as a Halfling. This reset Gorefoot's xp total to 500xp.
(This reward occurs after Gorefoot's xp total was reset to 500 xp by the reincarnation.)